Why people ask questions

Post sayings and stories you find interesting or useful.
Post Reply
User avatar
Jechbi
Posts: 1268
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:38 am
Contact:

Why people ask questions

Post by Jechbi »

from here:
Five reasons why people ask questions: through stupidity and foolishness; with evil intentions and through covetousness; with a desire to know; out of contempt; with the thought: "If he answers my question correctly, it is good; if not, then I shall give the correct answer.
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
Mawkish1983
Posts: 1285
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
Location: Essex, UK

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Mawkish1983 »

with a desire to know
:thumbsup:
User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Cittasanto »

suppose that is also applicable in many ways to why people make statements
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Mawkish1983
Posts: 1285
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
Location: Essex, UK

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Mawkish1983 »

Manapa wrote:suppose that is also applicable in many ways to why people make statements
I think I'm reason 1 for making statements then :(
User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Cittasanto »

Damn the good one was taken :cry: I'll be probably the last reason or second then :embarassed:
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Mawkish1983
Posts: 1285
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
Location: Essex, UK

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Mawkish1983 »

Manapa wrote:or second then :embarassed:
Evil intention? You? I find that hard to believe :)
User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Cittasanto »

Mawkish1983 wrote:
Manapa wrote:or second then :embarassed:
Evil intention? You? I find that hard to believe :)
There have been a couple of times a few weeks ago more than before or after, that I have noticed this! not so much here but somewhere else, which I have left because of this being more prominent, I figure remove myself from the greater temptation than be a t£&7, and work on it where the temptation is less.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Mawkish1983
Posts: 1285
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
Location: Essex, UK

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Mawkish1983 »

Manapa wrote:not so much here but somewhere else
Yahoo! Answers Religion & Spirituality? I stopped using that too because I noticed it had a negative effect on me.
User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Cittasanto »

no, but I have found the questions just don't interest me!

p.s. I was looking at some of my old questions the other day/week & noticed you answered one of mine from before I moved to Aberdeen!
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
User avatar
Kim OHara
Posts: 5584
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:47 am
Location: North Queensland, Australia

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Kim OHara »

Five reasons why people ask questions: through stupidity and foolishness; with evil intentions and through covetousness; with a desire to know; out of contempt; with the thought: "If he answers my question correctly, it is good; if not, then I shall give the correct answer.
Okay ...
I understand and approve 'with a desire to know' - pretty obvious.
I understand and sometimes approve 'with the thought: "If he answers my question correctly, it is good; if not, then I shall give the correct answer".' It's a good teaching strategy, but it can also be part of domination/vanity games.
I understand but don't approve 'stupidity and foolishness, evil intentions and covetousness'.
But I just don't understand 'out of contempt'. Are we talking about pseudo-questions like, "Are you too stupid to understand that 2 plus 2 is 4?" ?
Any thoughts?

Kim
User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Cittasanto »

five types of intentions, or reasons people have.

1 - through stupidity and foolishness; (we all ask stupid questions, which miss the point of what is being discussed, 'why doesn't 2 + 2 = 6?' when.... edit - may be more deliberate ignorance than ignorance though i.e. ignoring some of the 'proof' or 'information')

2 - with evil intentions and through covetousness; (asking for something which we don't need, or particularly want, but want to be seen as better than another by having keep up with the Joneses when there is no need to do as the Joneses have done.)

3 - with a desire to know; (obvious)

4 - out of contempt; (a statement in the form of a question would sometimes be this, not just clarification)

5 - with the thought: "If he answers my question correctly, it is good; if not, then I shall give the correct answer. (this could fall into categories 2 & 4 also, if not a teaching strategy)
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
Mawkish1983
Posts: 1285
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:46 am
Location: Essex, UK

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Mawkish1983 »

Manapa wrote:I was looking at some of my old questions the other day/week & noticed you answered one of mine from before I moved to Aberdeen!
Dare I ask... what was it and with which of the five reasons did I appear to answer it? How did I do? You've got me worried now!

Note, these questions are asked for reason no. 3... but how does the desire-dukkha relationship fit with the 'desire to know'? Maybe this relates to Manapas thread about using craving to end craving? Just running around some ideas out loud, sorry :)
User avatar
Cittasanto
Posts: 6646
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:31 pm
Location: Ellan Vannin
Contact:

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Cittasanto »

Mawkish1983 wrote:
Manapa wrote:I was looking at some of my old questions the other day/week & noticed you answered one of mine from before I moved to Aberdeen!
Dare I ask... what was it and with which of the five reasons did I appear to answer it? How did I do? You've got me worried now!

Note, these questions are asked for reason no. 3... but how does the desire-dukkha relationship fit with the 'desire to know'? Maybe this relates to Manapas thread about using craving to end craving? Just running around some ideas out loud, sorry :)
:tongue: I'll PM you a link to it later!
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
User avatar
Jechbi
Posts: 1268
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:38 am
Contact:

Re: Why people ask questions

Post by Jechbi »

Here's a better reference.

Pañhapuccha Sutta
Then Ven. Sariputta addressed the monks: "Friend monks."

"Yes, friend," the monks responded to him.

Ven. Sariputta said: "All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of five motivations. Which five?

"One asks a question of another through stupidity & bewilderment. One asks a question of another through evil desires & overwhelmed with greed. One asks a question of another through contempt. One asks a question of another when desiring knowledge. Or one asks a question with this thought,1 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well & good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].'

"All those who ask questions of another do so from any one of these five motivations. And as for me, when I ask a question of another, it's with this thought: 'If, when asked, he answers correctly, well & good. If not, then I will answer correctly [for him].'
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
Post Reply